Tufting table apparatus



Oct. 18', 1932. H. E. WOLF TUFT ING TABLE APPARATUS s sheetsheet 1 RATTORNEY Filed May 51, 1930 Oct. 18, 1932. H. E. WOLF TUFTING TABLEAPPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 31, 1930 INVENTOR Harry E Wo/f -1-uww Patented Oct. 18, 1932 PATENT)- OFFICE HARRY EQWOLF, OF PITTSBURGH,PENNSYLVANIA TUIFTING TABLE APPARATUS Application filed May 31,

My invention relates to the art of mattress making, and it has specialreference to tufting tables proper, and needle devices for use inconjunction with such tables for tufting mattresses.

One object of my invention is to provide a tufting table having aperforated bottom member and a removable top member, with relativelysmall openings, substantially alined with the respective perforations inthe bottom member, together with a needle device adapted to besuccessively guided by said openings through the respectiveperforations, in order to produce symmetrical and neat tufting of amattress.

A second object of my invention is to provide a tufting table, having atop and bottom member for enclosing the mattress being worked upon, thatmaybe rotated with respect to an upright frame, and the parts locked inposition, irrespective of whether the apparatus occupies its normal orits inverted position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a table of the characterset forth, so

arranged that the centers of the openings in the top and bottom membersmay substantially exactly re 'ster each time that the apparatus is'assemled.

A further object of my invention is to provide a tufting needle device,having a slidable guide block, to insure rapid and accurate tufting ofthe mattress being worked upon, when the tufting device is utilized inconjunction with my table.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a tufting needledevice, wherein a plurality of removable members are so 10- cated upon aguide block for the needles, as

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to insure close or accurate guiding thereof, and at the same time, tofacilitate disassembly and repair in the event of a breakdown.

Other objects of my invention will become evident from the followingdetailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein,

Figure 1 is a view, in side elevation, of a tufting table organized inaccordance with my present invention,

Figure 2 and Figure 3 are views, in top 1930. Serial N0 458,744.

plan and in side elevation, respectively, of the-apparatus shown inFigure 1, and

Figure 4 and Figure 5 are views, inside elevation and in bottom plan,respectively, of my tufting needle device.

Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the tufting table hereshown comprises a pair of transverse frame members 1, which mayconstitute standard T-irons and which are respectively supported onpairs of legs 2, which may be formed of channel irons, for example. Abottom table member proper 8, and an upper table member '13, interlockwith each other and are pivotally supported on the frame members 1,being capable of being locked in position by means of suitable pivotlocks 6.

The transverse frame members 1 may be secured by means of bolts 3, tothe legs 2, which in turn, may be secured to the floor by small angleirons 4, bolted to the lower ends of the legs.

Hubs or bearings 5 are bolted to the middle ortion of eachof thetransverse frame members 1, for the purpose of providing a pivotalhearing for the lower table member 8. Preferably, the illustrated pivotpin extends a short distance into the bottom table member 8, beingsuitably reinforced by means of plates 5a. By reason of this pivotalconnection, the table member 8 and its associated parts, namely, the toptable member 13, and the intervening mattress 25 being worked upon; maybe readily rotated from its normal to its inverted position by a lighttouch of 35 the hand. I

To insure that the table members are locked in position when it isdesired to work upon. the mattress, a pair of the pivot locks 6 aremounted, by means of pivot pins or bolts 7 on each of the transverseframe members 1, about half way between the bearing 5 and the ends ofthe frame member. Each of these pivot locks is provided with a suitablehandle 6a, and the inner end is bifurcated to grip the bottom member 8in either a normal or an inverted position, as the case may be, and thushold the rotatable table assembly in the desired operative position. Forthe purpose of preventing undue wear, by

the use of these pivot locks, reinforcing plates 10 are preferablysecured to the bottom table member 8, in the positions where thebifurcated inner ends of the pivot locks engage the bottom table member.

The bottom table member 8 is made from any suitable material, such aswood, the inner face being provided with a suitable veneer 9. Similarly,the inner face of the top table member 13 is provided with a suitableveneer 14. The bottom member 8 has a number of relatively large holes12, drilled through it for the purpose of permitting tying of tuftingmaterial to form a tuft, after the tapes or other material have beenthreaded through, as subsequently described.

The top member 13, on the other hand, is provided with an equal numberof relatively small openings or slots 21, having a circular or enlargedcenter, for a purpose to be hereinafter set forth. The registration ofthe centers of each of the small slots or openings in the top memberwith the centers of the large openings in the bottom member, is insuredby means of suitable male and female centering posts 11 and 20. A pipeor hollow post 11 is secured to each corner of the upper side of thebottom plate member 8, arid a pin or solid post 20 is secured to eachcorner of the lower face of the upper table member 13. These pins andhollow posts are adapted to engage when the top and bottom members arein operative position, whereby the desired registration of the openingsin the top and bottom table members is readily efiected each time theapparatus is being used.

The top table member 13 is provided with reinforcing metallic strips orthe like 15, at the ends thereof on the upper side, and a plurality ofcables 16, are secured to screw eyes 16a in each of the plates 15, atthe corners, the four cables being joined at the center to a hook 17,and a single cable passing from the hook over a pulley 18, which issuitably attached to the ceiling or other support (not shown). Thepurpose of this arrangement is to permit the top table member 13 beingreadily raised when the mattress is being laid on the bottom tablemember 8, or taken off it, and also to permit readily placing the toptable member on the mattress and effecting the proper positioning of themember 13, by means of the centering posts 11 and 20.

For the purpose of holding the top and bottom table members in suitableposition with respect to the mattress 25, a plurality of clamps 26 arepassed over the sides of the top and bottom table members, at suitableintervals, thereby compressing the mattress to the desired thickness,and placing the entire apparatus in the best possible condition toinsure rigid, accurate and neat workmanship in threading the tuftingneedles therethrough.

The tufting needle device shown in Figure 4 and Figure 5, comprises apair of long needles 27 and 28, having enlarged points or heads 36 and37, in back of which eyes 38 are provided, through which the usual tapemay be threaded. The upper or blunt ends of these needles are engaged ina hand grip 29, of any suitable form, and a guide block 30, having outerridges or legs 39 and 40, loosely engages the needles 27 and 28 back ofor above the eyes 38.

For the purpose of permitting the hand grip 29 to slide toward the block30, and advance the needles 27 and 28 through the mattress, a pair ofguides or rods 31 are provided, being rigidly secured at their lowerends to metallic or other members 32, by means of suitable pairs of nuts33. The plates 32 are secured by screws 50 to the upper side of block30. The upper ends of the rods 31 pass through a metallic or other plate34, secured to the lower side of the hand grip 29, and nuts 35 aresecured to the rods 31 on the opposite side of the plate 34, whereby thehand grip 29 may he slid up and down the rods 31 toward the guide block30, and carry the needles 27 and 28 with it.

For the purpose of suitably guiding the needles 27 and 28 in theirdownward passage, and at the same time facilitating disassembly andrepair of the needle device, a plurality of square plates 41, 42 and 43are placed in juxtaposition, or adjacent to each other, being secured tothe underside of the guide block 30, in a groove formed between the legs39 and 40, by means of a plurality of screws 44. Thus the intermediateplate 42 lies between the two needles 27 and 28, while the plate 41 ison the outer side of theneedle 27 and the plate 43 is on the outer sideof the needle 28. The portion of each plate 41, 42 and 43, adj acent tothe respective needles, is notched or cut, as indicated at 45 (Fig. 5),whereby a smooth, close or accurate guide or passage for each needle isprovided, and the openings through the guide block 30 need not beclosely fitted to the needles, but may provide a suitably loose passagetherefor.

Similarly, a small plate 51 may be provided on the upper side of theguide block 30, between the needles 27 and 28, while the plates 32, towhich the rods 31 are rigidly secured, are located on the outer sides ofthe needles 27 and 28, these three plates being notched similarly to thelower plates 41, 42 and 43, for the same purpose of closely guiding theneedles. The plates 32 and 51 may be suitably secured to.the guidingblock 30 by means of screws 50, or otherwise.

By reason of the construction just described, in the event that one ofthe needles 27 or 28 breaks, it is not necessary to disassembletheentire tufting device, in order to replace a needle, but merely theadjacent plates, such as 41 and 42, 32 (left hand) and 51, in the eventthat needle 27 is broken.

screw holds each plate, whereupon the broken needle may be quicklywithdrawn and a proper replacement made. Thus, the needles areaccurately guided by means of closely fitting members, thereby insuringaccuracy and minimum wear in the operation of the needles, and inaddition, replacements may be quickly and easily made.

Assuming that the top table member 13 occupies its suspended positionnear the ceiling, and that the bottom table member 8 occupiestheposition shown in the right hand side of Figure 2, with the pivotlocks 6 in the illustrated locked position, the operation of theapparatus may be set forth as follows:

The mattress 25 to be worked upon, is laid upon the bottom table member8, and lined up with the edges thereof. The top table member 13 is thenlowered into position, with the four pins 20 passing through the fourhollow posts 11. The clamping members 26 are then placed in position andthe apparatus is ready for theuse of the needle device shown in Figures4 and 5.

The tufting needle device, or more than one, if it is desired that twoor more persons work simultaneously on the mattress, is then taken inhand after a suitable length of tufting material has been threadedthrough the eyes 38, (leaving a long loop between them) and the twoneedles are placed in one of the slots 21, in the upper table member 13,whereupon the hand grip 29 is pushed downwardly. The length of each slot21 is substantially equal to the distance between the outer sides of thepair of needles 27 and 28, so that the needle device may be quicklyplaced in the proper position in the slot 21, and, at the same time, socentered that the needles pass through the mattress and come out thecorresponding perforation or opening 12 in the lower table member 8, andsymmetrically with respect to the center of such opening. The

needle device is then withdrawn, leaving the tufting material in themattress.

The needle device is thus successively guided by the slots 21, afterbeing re-threaded each time, and a half loop of tufting material appearson the upper side of the mattress, while the threaded-through or looseends remain below the lower side of the mattress within the confines ofeach opening '12 in the lower table member. In other words, aftersuitable threading of the tufting material, the needle device isproperly positioned with respect to a given slot 21, the hand grip isthen pushed downwardly, and the needles are then withdrawn by means ofthe hand grip, and the entire tufting needle device is carried over tothe next slot 21, where the operation is repeated.

The peculiar shape of the slots 21, having enlarged centers, is adaptedto permit either a lengthwise stitch through the half loop, thus makinga tuft, or to permit adding a regular round cotton tuft in the center,which may be sewed in position through the enlarged center opening ofeach slot 21.

To finish the tufting of the mattress, the four pivot locks 6 are movedout of operating position, the top and bottom table members with themattress between them are rotated to an inverted position, and thethreadedthrough tuft ends, which'appear in each hole 12, are thenreadily tied, sewed or tufted, as may be desired, Without inany waydisturbing the tufting table parts. It will be understood that to lockthe table in such inverted position, the pivot locks 6 are again broughtinto play, to then grip the bottom table member 8 in its invertedposition.

The pivot locks are then again removed, the table members and mattressrotated to normal position, the clamps 26 removed, and the top member 13pulled upwardly, whereupon the finished mattress 25 may be removed andanother one put in its place.

It will be seen, therefore, that I have provided a simple andinexpensive tufting table and needle assembly for producing quick andaccurate tufting of a mattress, the tufts being symmetrically spacedapart, thus imparting a neat standardized appearance to the mattress.Furthermore, the illustrated needle device may be quickly and accuratelyemployed, without requiring any great skill, and at the same time, if aneedle breaks, the device may be very readily repaired with a minimum ofdisassembly and reassembly.

I do not wish to be restricted to the specific structural details orarrangement of parts herein set forth, as various modifications of myapparatus may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention. I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall beimposed thereon as ar indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A tufting table comprising an upright frame, a perforated bottommember adapted to support a mattress, means for pivotally securing saidmember to said frame, means for locking said member in position, aremovable perforated top member for laying on the mattress, means forpositioning said top member with its perforations registering with theperforations in the bottom member, 0 and a needle device for carrying alength of tape and adapted to be successively guided by the top memberperforations through the corresponding bottom perforations, said lockingmeans being also adapted to lock said bottom member in an invertedposition when the top and bottom members and the mattress are rotated onsaid pivotal means to permit access to the threaded-through ends oftape.

2. A tufting table comprising an upright frame, a bottom member havingspaced relatively large holes and adapted to support a mattress, meansforpivotally securing said member to said frame, a plurality of lockingdevices pivoted on said frame for locking said member in position, aremovable top member for laying on the mattress and having spacedrelatively small slots, mutually engaging means on said members forpositioning the centers of said slots substantially in alinement withthe centers of said holes, and a plural needle device for carrying alength of tape and adapted to have its set of needles successivelyguided by said slots through the respective holes, said locking devicesbeing also adapted to lock said bottom member in an in verted positionwhen the top and bottom members and the mattress are rotated on saidpivotal means to permit access to the threaded-through ends of tape,

3. A tufting table comprising an upright frame, a bottom board havingregularly spaced relatively large holes, and adapted to support amattress, means for pivotally securing said board to said frame, aplurality of locking devices pivoted on said frame for locking saidboard in position, a suspendable top board for laying on the mattressand having relatively small slots, male and female centering posts onsaid boards for positioning the centers of said slots substantially inalinement with the centers of said holes, and a device having twoneedles for carrying a length of tape and adapted to be successivelyguided by said slots through the respective holes, said locking devicesbeing also adapted to lock said bottom board in an inverted positionwhen the top and bottom boards and the mattress are rotated on saidpivotal means to permit access to the various threaded-through pairs ofends of tape.

4;. A tufting device comprising a needle, a hand grip at one endthereof, a guide block having a loose passage for said needle andinitially located near the other end thereof, and a plurality ofremovable members placed on said block in juxtaposition to provide asubstantially exact guide passage for said needle.

5. A tufting device comprising a pair of needles, a hand grip coveringone end thereof, a guide block having loose passages for said needles,and initially located near the other ends'thereof, and a plurality ofremovable members placed adjacent to each other on said block to provideclose guide passages for the respective needles.

6. A tufting device comprising a needle, a hand grip at one end thereof,a guide block having a loose passage for said needle and initiallylocated near the other end thereof, means attached to both said grip andsaid block for permitting the one to slide toward the other, and aplurality of removable members placed on said block in juxtaposition toprovide a substantially exact guide passage for said needle upon saidgrip and said block sliding the one toward the other.

7. A tufting device comprising a pair of needles, a hand Igrip coveringone end thereof, a, guide bloc having loose passages for said needles,and initially located near the other ends thereof, guide membersextending between said grip and said block for permitting the grip toslide toward the block, and a plurality of removable members'placedadjacent to each other on said block to provide close guide passages forthe respective needles upon said grip sliding toward said block.

8. A tufting device comprising a pair of needles having enlarged points,a hand grip covering the blunt ends thereof, a guide block having loosepassages for said needles and normally located in back of said points, apair of guide members rigidly secured to said block and extendingloosely through said grip for permitting the grip to slide along saidmembers toward the block, and a set of three alined removable members onsaid block to provide close guide passages for the respective needlesupon said grip sliding toward said block.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 22 day ofMay, 1930.

HARRY E. WOLF.

